Hans Fritzsche was a very popular German radio commentator. He had strong Nazi beliefs and voiced them in his radio broadcasts. He was a very smart man with an IQ of 130. During the Nuremburg trials he would often break down and cry. It would appear that he realized that what he believed in was corrupt. Hans would later be found not guilty of any of his charges. Reporter- Hello I am Dean Lane and I am here with the popular radio Nazi commentator Hans Fritzsche. He gratefully agreed to answerer some questions about his trial. Mr. Fritzsche, is it true you were indicted of all three charges and not even charged with the fourth? Hans Fritzsche- Yes that is true. I was merely a news reporter speaking my mind. I did not wage war, nor did I plan it. All that I did was report the news and give my opinion. I believe in your country the, United States; citizens are given the freedom of speech. I believe I deserve the same rights. All I did was report the news and give my opinion. A reporter in your country would not be persecuted for reporting would they? Reporter- No they would not, but let us move on. Is it true that you are only one of three people at the Nuremburg trials to be acquitted? Hans Fritzsche- Yes that is concrete information, I was one of only three men to be acquitted of all charges. Reporter- Do you believe it was fair for them to put you on trial like this, publicly humiliating you? Hans Fritzsche- No I believe they had no grounds on which to try me for such humiliating charges. I was just a popular reporter. I was crushed when I found out I was to be on trial. I could barely keep myself together at the trial. I wept during parts of the trial for I knew I had done nothing wrong. Reporter- But couldn’t speaking your opinion be considered as crimes against peace? I mean perhaps you yourself didn’t plan to do bad things but perhaps you instilled your opinions in others making them want to join the German army. Then perhaps that man planned war all because of the thoughts of the Nazi party you bestowed on him. Do you see why so many people believe you might have deserved some of these charges? Hans Fritzsche- I see how some people could see that and would think that I deserved some of those charges but I did nothing wrong. I should be able to freely voice my opinion without consequences. What people do with the information is not my fault, I only presented the information to the people how I thought it should have been presented. I truly believe with all my heart that I did not deserve any of the charges that I was charged with. I must be right to because I was acquitted of all charges. Reporter- I see how you feel. Do you believe that some of the others charged were treated fairly? Do you believe it was fair that some were executed while others were put in prison for only ten years? Hans Fritzsche- No I believe the judges were very unfair when they charged some of the other defendants. I believe that some of the judges had a hard time deciding the punishment of some of the defendants. I believe that after a few trials the judges finally decided the correct way to determine the fate of the men on trial. I also believe that the judges should have decided how to punish the defendants before the trials themselves. Reporter- Do you believe that any of these men deserved the death penalty? Hans Fritzsche- No I believe that all of those men didn’t do anything that truly deserved the death penalty. I believe that all those men did the right thing by trying to create an Aryan race. I believe that they shouldn’t be punished at all. Reporter- I disagree I believe that all of those men got what they deserve. But that is beside the point. If you could do anything to change your life as a radio announcer what would you change? Hans Fritzsche- Absolutely nothing! I believe that I have done nothing from the start. I actually believe that I have been doing the right thing. I think that all I have been doing is helping Germany into a perfect state. I believe that the wrong doers were the ones that stopped Germany from achieving its perfect state. Reporter- I strongly disagree but every man has a right to his opinion. Thank you Mr. Fritzsche for the interview you have given us today. I am glad you let us hear your side of the story. Hans Fritzsche- I am glad my side of the story was told. Reporter- Well this has been reporter Dean Lane signing off with Hans Fritzsche.
Reporter- Hello I am Dean Lane and I am here with the popular radio Nazi commentator Hans Fritzsche. He gratefully agreed to answerer some questions about his trial. Mr. Fritzsche, is it true you were indicted of all three charges and not even charged with the fourth?
Hans Fritzsche- Yes that is true. I was merely a news reporter speaking my mind. I did not wage war, nor did I plan it. All that I did was report the news and give my opinion. I believe in your country the, United States; citizens are given the freedom of speech. I believe I deserve the same rights. All I did was report the news and give my opinion. A reporter in your country would not be persecuted for reporting would they?
Reporter- No they would not, but let us move on. Is it true that you are only one of three people at the Nuremburg trials to be acquitted?
Hans Fritzsche- Yes that is concrete information, I was one of only three men to be acquitted of all charges.
Reporter- Do you believe it was fair for them to put you on trial like this, publicly humiliating you?
Hans Fritzsche- No I believe they had no grounds on which to try me for such humiliating charges. I was just a popular reporter. I was crushed when I found out I was to be on trial. I could barely keep myself together at the trial. I wept during parts of the trial for I knew I had done nothing wrong.
Reporter- But couldn’t speaking your opinion be considered as crimes against peace? I mean perhaps you yourself didn’t plan to do bad things but perhaps you instilled your opinions in others making them want to join the German army. Then perhaps that man planned war all because of the thoughts of the Nazi party you bestowed on him. Do you see why so many people believe you might have deserved some of these charges?
Hans Fritzsche- I see how some people could see that and would think that I deserved some of those charges but I did nothing wrong. I should be able to freely voice my opinion without consequences. What people do with the information is not my fault, I only presented the information to the people how I thought it should have been presented. I truly believe with all my heart that I did not deserve any of the charges that I was charged with. I must be right to because I was acquitted of all charges.
Reporter- I see how you feel. Do you believe that some of the others charged were treated fairly? Do you believe it was fair that some were executed while others were put in prison for only ten years?
Hans Fritzsche- No I believe the judges were very unfair when they charged some of the other defendants. I believe that some of the judges had a hard time deciding the punishment of some of the defendants. I believe that after a few trials the judges finally decided the correct way to determine the fate of the men on trial. I also believe that the judges should have decided how to punish the defendants before the trials themselves.
Reporter- Do you believe that any of these men deserved the death penalty?
Hans Fritzsche- No I believe that all of those men didn’t do anything that truly deserved the death penalty. I believe that all those men did the right thing by trying to create an Aryan race. I believe that they shouldn’t be punished at all.
Reporter- I disagree I believe that all of those men got what they deserve. But that is beside the point. If you could do anything to change your life as a radio announcer what would you change?
Hans Fritzsche- Absolutely nothing! I believe that I have done nothing from the start. I actually believe that I have been doing the right thing. I think that all I have been doing is helping Germany into a perfect state. I believe that the wrong doers were the ones that stopped Germany from achieving its perfect state.
Reporter- I strongly disagree but every man has a right to his opinion. Thank you Mr. Fritzsche for the interview you have given us today. I am glad you let us hear your side of the story.
Hans Fritzsche- I am glad my side of the story was told.
Reporter- Well this has been reporter Dean Lane signing off with Hans Fritzsche.
Resources-Nuremberg Trials;Nuremberg Trials